Well, Actually...

In this weekly podcast, MMA journalist Fernanda Prates will provide her unfiltered opinions on MMA-related matters and discussions, beyond the sport’s day-to-day headlines. Fernanda will respond to the "keyboard-warriors" and "mansplainers" she encounters on a daily basis on social media, from the vantage point of a female writer in a predominantly male sport. And, she'll maintain a sense of... Show more

In this weekly podcast, MMA journalist Fernanda Prates will provide her unfiltered opinions on MMA-related matters and discussions, beyond the sport’s day-to-day headlines. Fernanda will respond to the "keyboard-warriors" and "mansplainers" she encounters on a daily basis on social media, from the vantage point of a female writer in a predominantly male sport. And, she'll maintain a sense of humor and a playful approach to the oftentimes serious topics covered in the world of mixed martial arts.

Hasta La Vista, Babies

As forgotten poet Taylor Dayne once sang, saying goodbye is never an easy thing. Unfortunately, the time has come for us to do just that. In the final episode of Well, Actually… we acknowledge and thank those who made this short-lived, but well-meaning show... Show more

As forgotten poet Taylor Dayne once sang, saying goodbye is never an easy thing. Unfortunately, the time has come for us to do just that. In the final episode of Well, Actually… we acknowledge and thank those who made this short-lived, but well-meaning show happen. Including all of you.

Fernanda is joined by friend and colleague, The Athletic’s Ben Fowlkes, to talk about how he got involved in MMA journalism, covering the early days of the sport, dealing with public criticism and feedback, his piece in The Athletic, “The night they got... Show more

Fernanda is joined by friend and colleague, The Athletic’s Ben Fowlkes, to talk about how he got involved in MMA journalism, covering the early days of the sport, dealing with public criticism and feedback, his piece in The Athletic, “The night they got their ass kicked — and the long days that followed”, being able to “put on the white belt” in order to become a more well-rounded person, the inner conflict of covering a sport like mixed martial arts, click-baity content, The Tostines Dilemma, and much more.

Fernanda is joined by Invicta FC commentator, former fighter, and writer, Julie Kedzie to discuss writing her first book, words, and not just physical actions, as violence, the sport of MMA providing a path towards redemption every day, internalized misogyny,... Show more

Fernanda is joined by Invicta FC commentator, former fighter, and writer, Julie Kedzie to discuss writing her first book, words, and not just physical actions, as violence, the sport of MMA providing a path towards redemption every day, internalized misogyny, her time as Invicta FC’s matchmaker, The Joe Rogan Experience, and much more.

After a heavy couple of days in the sports world, Fernanda decided to step out of her comfort zone and try something new: Positivity. From incredible athletes to a surprisingly welcoming online community, there are plenty of things to be appreciated in MMA. Show more

After a heavy couple of days in the sports world, Fernanda decided to step out of her comfort zone and try something new: Positivity. From incredible athletes to a surprisingly welcoming online community, there are plenty of things to be appreciated in MMA. Today, we celebrate them.

Fernanda is joined by professional combat sports storyteller, co-author of the bestselling book “Quitters Never Win”, and former UFC Fight Pass content chief, Ant Evans, to discuss the process of writing Quitters Never Win, combat sports as a showcase of... Show more

Fernanda is joined by professional combat sports storyteller, co-author of the bestselling book “Quitters Never Win”, and former UFC Fight Pass content chief, Ant Evans, to discuss the process of writing Quitters Never Win, combat sports as a showcase of human physical courage, overcoming early narratives about MMA in the UK, impersonating Michael Bisping on the radio once upon a time, and much more.

“How do you reconcile your own personal and moral beliefs with the realities of covering MMA?” Fernanda has heard this question a few times. She’s still not quite sure how to answer it, but, after watching a troubling conversation between Cowboy Cerrone... Show more

“How do you reconcile your own personal and moral beliefs with the realities of covering MMA?” Fernanda has heard this question a few times. She’s still not quite sure how to answer it, but, after watching a troubling conversation between Cowboy Cerrone and Brendan Schaub from a few years ago, she decided to give it a shot.

Fernanda is joined by The Athletic MMA’s Managing Editor Dann Stupp to discuss co-founding MMAJunkie, what has kept him involved in mixed martial arts this long, whether the general criticism of MMA media is fair or not, and which MMA term he’d get rid of... Show more

Fernanda is joined by The Athletic MMA’s Managing Editor Dann Stupp to discuss co-founding MMAJunkie, what has kept him involved in mixed martial arts this long, whether the general criticism of MMA media is fair or not, and which MMA term he’d get rid of if he could, among other topics. Plus, questions from listeners about the challenges of writing behind a paywall, covering Conor McGregor’s sexual assault allegations responsibly, tips on becoming a better writer when you’re starting out, and more.

Cool MMA Stuff That We Probably Won’t Do in 2020 But, Hey, a Girl Can Dream

It was inevitable, 2020 is here… might as well make it cooler than 2019. From learning what “clickbait” means to perhaps not using women as decoration items, Fernanda has some ideas on how we can help make that happen.

It was inevitable, 2020 is here… might as well make it cooler than 2019. From learning what “clickbait” means to perhaps not using women as decoration items, Fernanda has some ideas on how we can help make that happen.

Fernanda is joined by MMAFighting’s resident photographer Esther Lin to discuss how she got her start photographing MMA events, her favorite moments she’s captured over the year, dealing with negative internet commenters as a woman in a male-dominated... Show more

Fernanda is joined by MMAFighting’s resident photographer Esther Lin to discuss how she got her start photographing MMA events, her favorite moments she’s captured over the year, dealing with negative internet commenters as a woman in a male-dominated world, visibility as the cure for fear, the opinion gap, and a lot more.

An Episode About All the Things (Including, but Not Limited to, Liz Carmouche’s Messy UFC Departure, Colby Covington’s Gimmick, and Some UFC 245 Stuff)

This week, Fernanda takes questions from listeners and talks about Liz Carmouche being unceremoniously released by the UFC, the proper etiquette when it comes to fighters missing weight, what Amanda Nunes’s UFC 245 title defense against Germaine de Randamie... Show more

This week, Fernanda takes questions from listeners and talks about Liz Carmouche being unceremoniously released by the UFC, the proper etiquette when it comes to fighters missing weight, what Amanda Nunes’s UFC 245 title defense against Germaine de Randamie means for her legacy, Ketlen Vieira’s mindset going into her fight against Irene Aldana after being out of action since 2018, Colby Covington’s revelation to Candace Owens that he’s only playing a character, one he created after almost getting cut by the UFC, and quick thoughts on Jose Aldo’s Bantamweight debut.

Societal beauty standards follow women everywhere, even into the cage. What does it mean when, for some of them, their images end up becoming lucrative, as well? Fernanda tries to make sense of these complicated intersections in this week’s episode.

Societal beauty standards follow women everywhere, even into the cage. What does it mean when, for some of them, their images end up becoming lucrative, as well? Fernanda tries to make sense of these complicated intersections in this week’s episode.

Fernanda hates making lists, especially ones that include the word “best” in the title. So, instead of making her picks for the best fighters of the past ten years, she chose her five favorites, using her own totally subjective and biased reasoning.

Fernanda hates making lists, especially ones that include the word “best” in the title. So, instead of making her picks for the best fighters of the past ten years, she chose her five favorites, using her own totally subjective and biased reasoning.

Fernanda is joined by Rodrigo Del Campo, the founder of Indiscutido.com and commentator for MARCA Claro, to discuss a variety of topics including what drew him to the sport of mixed martial arts in the first place, the trajectory for Mexican MMA now as... Show more

Fernanda is joined by Rodrigo Del Campo, the founder of Indiscutido.com and commentator for MARCA Claro, to discuss a variety of topics including what drew him to the sport of mixed martial arts in the first place, the trajectory for Mexican MMA now as compared to during the Cain Velasquez Era, the backlash against the fans in Mexico City after the Jeremy Stephens-Yair Rodriguez fight, Colby Covington’s MAGA gimmick taking on a different meaning for people from different cultures, how to cover Greg Hardy, mental health, and much more.

After Saturday’s UFC event in Sao Paulo, Fernanda sat down with on-camera talent/total nerd Laura Sanko for a chat about… pretty much everything, really. From postpartum depression and imposter syndrome, to online creeps and dealing with nerves and public... Show more

After Saturday’s UFC event in Sao Paulo, Fernanda sat down with on-camera talent/total nerd Laura Sanko for a chat about… pretty much everything, really. From postpartum depression and imposter syndrome, to online creeps and dealing with nerves and public scrutiny, no stone was left unturned. Oh, yeah, and there was some MMA, too.

Being tough is cool. But you know what else is cool? Being open. And honest. And human. Thankfully, we have fighters like Darren Till and Ronaldo Souza reminding us that, even in a largely male-dominated sport, all these things can coexist.

Being tough is cool. But you know what else is cool? Being open. And honest. And human. Thankfully, we have fighters like Darren Till and Ronaldo Souza reminding us that, even in a largely male-dominated sport, all these things can coexist.

Leslie Smith joins the show ahead of her Bellator 233 fight against Arlene Blencowe to chat with Fernanda about a variety of topics including fighters' rights, the future of Project Spearhead, her experience being cut from the UFC and facing a backlash online,... Show more

Leslie Smith joins the show ahead of her Bellator 233 fight against Arlene Blencowe to chat with Fernanda about a variety of topics including fighters' rights, the future of Project Spearhead, her experience being cut from the UFC and facing a backlash online, getting involved with the Wimps 2 Warriors program, USADA as an unregulated governing body and how Nate Diaz has seemingly helped change things overnight, how the conversation about women in MMA has evolved over the years because of people like Shannon Knapp and Invicta FC, the way gender stereotypes can negatively impact both men and women, and much more.

Things You Might Wanna Try to Avoid Doing (If You Wanna Make Life Online a Little Less Annoying for People)

From snitch-tagging to reaction-policing, Fernanda explains why online behavior patterns that don’t necessarily come from a bad place can still get under people’s skin. And by “people”, she means “her”.

From snitch-tagging to reaction-policing, Fernanda explains why online behavior patterns that don’t necessarily come from a bad place can still get under people’s skin. And by “people”, she means “her”.

Stuff That’s Been Happening (Including, but Not Limited to, the One I Wanted to Write About on Sunday but Ben Fowlkes Claimed My Idea and Ruined Everything so Here We Are)

A hard-to-watch fight at UFC Tampa. An interesting interview with a fighter… or was it with his manager? Another type of manager-related drama. And a disheartening pattern of headlines that show a darker side of fighting. Fernanda didn’t want to get caught... Show more

A hard-to-watch fight at UFC Tampa. An interesting interview with a fighter… or was it with his manager? Another type of manager-related drama. And a disheartening pattern of headlines that show a darker side of fighting. Fernanda didn’t want to get caught up in the news cycle, but sometimes the news cycle just won’t allow that to happen. On the bright side, there’s a little bit for everyone in this week’s episode of Well, Actually…

Between the creepy insinuations about Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s weight, the sheer insanity surrounding Mackenzie Dern’s accent, or just the rude comments about her own face, the internet sure gave our aggravated host Fernanda some stuff to discuss in this first... Show more

Between the creepy insinuations about Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s weight, the sheer insanity surrounding Mackenzie Dern’s accent, or just the rude comments about her own face, the internet sure gave our aggravated host Fernanda some stuff to discuss in this first bonus episode of Well, Actually…, exclusively for subscribers to The Athletic.

From the minute “Well, Actually…” was conceived, Fernanda knew she would have to talk about one of the UFC’s most controversial fighters: Greg Hardy. And this week, she ripped the band-aid off, with a little help from her friends on Twitter.

From the minute “Well, Actually…” was conceived, Fernanda knew she would have to talk about one of the UFC’s most controversial fighters: Greg Hardy. And this week, she ripped the band-aid off, with a little help from her friends on Twitter.

Fernanda fields questions from listeners on Twitter and runs through a variety of topics ranging from MMA to politics to the Gracies and socioeconomics. Which MMA journalist would be able to take $10 million and turn a profit running their own promotion? Was... Show more

Fernanda fields questions from listeners on Twitter and runs through a variety of topics ranging from MMA to politics to the Gracies and socioeconomics. Which MMA journalist would be able to take $10 million and turn a profit running their own promotion? Was there a specific fighter or event that led Fernanda to mixed martial arts? What’s Fernanda’s favorite conspiracy theory? What current Brazilian fighter could become the next Vitor Belfort? Find out the answers to all of those, and many more, and catch Mean Girls and Baywatch references, within this really fun episode.

Things We Shouldn’t Even Be Discussing in MMA in 2019 And, Yet, Here We Are

Fernanda discusses the controversial end to the UFC Mexico City main event between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens and takes the opportunity to breaks down some of the most worn out fighter criticisms still being thrown around in 2019, including the idea... Show more

Fernanda discusses the controversial end to the UFC Mexico City main event between Yair Rodriguez and Jeremy Stephens and takes the opportunity to breaks down some of the most worn out fighter criticisms still being thrown around in 2019, including the idea that "Lil' Heathen" wanted out of the fight before it even began.

When MMA fighter/in-cage acrobat/absolute madman Michel Pereira suffered his first UFC loss, it wasn’t just his pro record that suffered. His popularity, too, seems to have taken a hit — particularly among Brazilian fans. Granted, Pereira missed weight,... Show more

When MMA fighter/in-cage acrobat/absolute madman Michel Pereira suffered his first UFC loss, it wasn’t just his pro record that suffered. His popularity, too, seems to have taken a hit — particularly among Brazilian fans. Granted, Pereira missed weight, but is that all there was to this sudden shift in public opinion? Or was a loss really all that fun-hating people needed to change his status from fan-favorite into circus act? Are MMA fans more toxic than other sports fans? Are Brazilian fans, in turn, bigger assholes than other MMA fans? And, on that note, why are so many popular Brazilian expressions focused on assholes? These are just some of the very important questions that host Fernanda Prates and her guest, fellow Brazilian reporter Guilherme Cruz, tackled in this week’s episode of Well, Actually…

Former UFC champion Cris Cyborg recently inked a deal with Bellator. She seems pretty happy with it. But just how much crap did she have to put with up with to get here? Fernanda Prates has some thoughts on that in the debut episode of Well, Actually...

Former UFC champion Cris Cyborg recently inked a deal with Bellator. She seems pretty happy with it. But just how much crap did she have to put with up with to get here? Fernanda Prates has some thoughts on that in the debut episode of Well, Actually...

Well, Actually... is hosted by MMA journalist Fernanda Prates, who will give her unique perspective on issues beyond the sport's day-to-day headlines, from the vantage point of a female writer in a predominantly male sport. Catch new episodes every Tuesday on... Show more

Well, Actually... is hosted by MMA journalist Fernanda Prates, who will give her unique perspective on issues beyond the sport's day-to-day headlines, from the vantage point of a female writer in a predominantly male sport. Catch new episodes every Tuesday on The Athletic, starting September 10th! Subscribe to The Athletic now for 40% off your annual subscription at theathletic.com/wellactually

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